Incubator.



PATENTED OCT. 15,- 1907.

J. ROMAN. INCUBATQR. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

James Nomen attore/nut me nmmls persas m, w/xsmnl'aron, n. c.

No. 867,972. PATENTED 0012.15., 1907.

' 7. ROMAN.

INGUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. 1906.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 l n In 271.9616v ,a9 i 17 PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES HOMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

INCUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed November 9, 1906. Serial No. 342,667.

United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIncubatore, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to incubatore, and has for its object theproduction of an incubator in which it will be possible to obtain apractically absolute uniformity of temperature in every part of the eggchamber and maintain this temperature without variation with v a minimumconsumption of fuel, thereby rendering it possible to successfullyincubate any number of eggs which may be put in the incubator at anytime regardless of the state of incubation of the eggs already in theincubator. i

A further object is to provide adevice which will be very simple inoperation and the heat controlling devices of which will be automatic,requiring little or no attention on the part of the operator, theregulating device being adjusted so that it is possible to overheat orcool the egg chamber only under extreme conditions, and so as to renderthe use of a thermometer and the constant watchfulness, which the use ofa thermometer described, and then more particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa longitudinal sectional viewof my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same; andFig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the egg chamber and thesurrounding water tanks.

In these drawings, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention inwhich the egg chambers are indicated bythe reference numeral 1. Thesechambers are surrounded on the top and bottom and on three sides thereofby a doubled walled casing, forming awater chamber 2. In the larger sizeincubators, such as are shown in the drawings, I provide a centralpartition 3, corresponding in construction to the side walls and'extending centrally through the egg chamber to the front thereof anddividing the sameinto two chambers which are provided on their oppositesides with brackets or ledges 4 to`support the egg trays. Near theforward end of this partition a flue or air passage 5 extends upwardlythrough the same from top to bottom of the water chamber, forming an airpassage through the water chamber comprised in the partition.

Within the heat flue 5 isa second ue 6, arranged centrally thereof andhaving its lower end flared, as shown at 7, and extending outwardly toform a ange 8 of varying width and extendingA a considerabledistancealong the bottom of the water chamber surrounding the eggchamber.

Secured to the edges of the water chamber and extending downwardly to acommon point directly beneath the heat fiue 5 is a wall 9 forming thebottom of the heat chamber 10 which is formedbetween the bottom of thewater chamber and said wall 9. In the present instance, this bottom walltakes the form of an irregular pyramid having its apex located near thefront of the incubator, and, as stated, beneath the heat ilues.

Supported in a suitable frame 11, carried by the bottom wall 9, is asuitable lamp 12, or other source of heat supply. The chimney of thelamp extends through the opening 13 at the apex of the bottom wall 9 andinto the v[iared lower portion of the central heat iue G. The passage ofthe heat Athrough this flue is controlled by a damper 14 in the form ofa cap adapted to close the upper end of the flue when in its lowerposition. This damper or cap is carried by a rod 15, pivotally supportedabove the frame of the incubator at 16 and provided with a counterweight17.

Secured to the rod 15 at a point intermediate its pivotal connection andthe damper is a thermostatic iioat 18 which extends through an opening19 in the water chamber of the partition 3 and is submerged in the watertherein. This float isof such a construction that it rises and falls asthe temperature of the water within the chamber varies, thereby raisingand lowering l the damper 14 and regulating the amount of heat passingthrough the flue 6. This thermostatic float may be of any suitableconstruction, but I prefer and have shown in the accompanying drawings afioat.

adapted to contain an expansible iiuid which expands and contracts underthe varying temperature of the water, and, by varying the displacementof the water within the chamber, alters its position therein, therebycontrolling the position of the damper, such a thermostatic iioatforming the basis of a separate application filed by me of even dateherewith.

The end walls of the water chambers surrounding the egg chambers and thepartition 3 are provided with a series of air passages 2() adapted toallowa free circulation of air through the egg chambers from the outeratmosphere, thereby maintaining the temperature of the air within thechambers at a proper humidity. These air passages may be arranged in anysuitable manner, but I prefer to arrange them as shown in the drawings,in which I have provided both the ends yand the central partition withsix. passages arranged in rows of three each near the top and bottom ofthe chamber.

In order to bring the air to a temperature corresponding to that of theegg chambers before it is admitted to the same Iprovide in the ends ofthe wooden casing 21', 'which surrounds the device as a whole,longitudinal air passages or slots 22, extending along each series ofopenings through the water chambers, the upper and lower passages 22being connected by a vertical passage 23. The longitudinal passages 22are provided with openings 24 connecting the same with the outer air andpreferably located intermediate the passages 20 through the waterchamber, thereby causing the air which enters through the openings 24 topass over a portion of the heated surface of the wall of the waterchamber before it enters the egg chamber, thus bring-V ing thetemperature of the same up to correspond with that of the egg chamber.The wooden casing 21 which surrounds the Water chambers extends beneaththe same to the level ot the lowest point of the bottom wall 9 andpreferably has its lower sideclosed by a sheet metal wall 25 and isprovided with suitable supporting standards 2G.

The operation of the device is simple and will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description. In brief, it is as follows: Athermostatic iioat 18 is adjusted to maintain the damper 14 in a iixedrelation to the flue (i at a given temperature of the water in thechamber 3. When the temperature of the water is raised above a givenpoint, the iioat 18 rises therein, thereby raising the damper 14 andallowing the heat from the lamp 12 to pass directly through the ilue 6and escape to the open air without giving off any heat tothe waterchamber. The iiue 6 may, if desired, be provided with a cover 27, ofasbestos or other suitable material, to further prevent the radiation ofheat. As the temperature of the water falls the float 18 contracts andsinks to a lower level in the water, thereby closing Vthe damper 14 ofthe flue 6 and preventing the escape of the heat from the upper endthereof and causing the same to pass out at the lower end of the iluearound the edges o the flange 8 and out-through the heat flue 5, therebybringing the heat into contactwith a large portion of the lower surfaceof the water chamber, forming the lower wall of the egg chambers. As thetemperature of the water again rises the float 18 expands and theoperation is repeated. In practice, the iioat 18 will assume a positionin the water which will hold the damper 14 in such relation to the iiue6 as to cause asufficient amount of the heat to pass out at the lowerend oi the flue 6 around the flange 8 and into contact with the waterchamber to maintain the water therein at the desired temperature,whereupon there will be very little movement of the float or damper.

I wish it to be understood that I do notdesire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described 1ny invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s:-

1. An incubator comprising a casing having an egg chamber Within thesame and having a water chamber inclosing the top'` bottom, end and rearwalls of said egg chamber, a partition extending from the rear wall tothe front of said casing and having a water chamber formed therein andin open communication with the water chamber inclosing the top, bottomand rear walls of said egg chamber, and means for heating the water insaid water chamber, substantially as described.

'2. An incubator comprising a casing containing an egg chamber andhaving a water chamber surrounding the top and bottom walls and aplurality of the side walls of said egg chamber, a partition dividingsaid egg chamber into compartiments and having a water. chamber formedtherein and in open communication with the water chamber of said wallsand having air passages extending through the same to connect saidcompartments, and means for heat ing the water in said chambers,substantially as described.

In an incubator, the combination, with a easing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber surrounding a plurality of the wallsof said egg chamber, of? means for applying heat to said water chamber,and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said chamber forregulating the amount of heat applied thereto, sub stantially asdescribed.

4. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber surrounding a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, of a source of heat supply, a plurality of passagesfor said heat, one of said passages being arranged to bring the heat incontact with said water chamber and means regulated by the temperatureof the water of said chamber for controlling said heat passages,substantially as described.

5. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber extending on a plurality of sides ofsaid egg chamber, ot a source of heat supply, a direct passage for saidheat and a circuitous passage therefor, and means controlled by thetemperature of the water in said chamber for regulatA ing thecirculation of the heat through said passages, substantially asdescribed.

(i. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing con taining an eggchamber and having a water chamber extending on a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, and a source of heat supply located beneath saidwater chamber, of two heat ilues extending through said water chamberabove said source of heat supply, one oi said heat ilues allowing theheat to escape directly to the air and the other causing the heat tocome into contact with the wall of said water chamber, and meanscontrolled by the temperature of the water in said chamber forregulating the circulation of heat in said passages, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber extending on a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, a heat iiue extending through said water chamber, asecond heat iiue mounted within the iirst-mentioned ilue and having aflange at the lower end thereof: extendlng beneath the bottom of saidwater chamber, a source of heut supply located beneath said fines, andmeans controlled by the temperature of the water in said chamber forcausing the heat to pass through either one of said ilues, substantiallyas described.

8. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber surrounding a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, of a heat flue extending through said waterchamber, a second line mounted within said first-mentioned ilue andarranged centrally thereof and having its lower end flared, a iiangecarried by the iiared end of said central heat flue and extendingbeneath the walls of said water chamber, a lamp located beneath saidheat ilues and having the chimney thereof extending into the flaredportion ot said central iiue, and means controlled by the temperature ofthe water in said water chamber for causing the heat to pass througheither of said ilues, substantially as described.

9. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber extending on a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, and a heat chamber beneath said water chamber, of aheat iiue extending through said water chamber, a second heat fluemounted within said first-mentioned Ilue and arranged centrally thereof,a ilange carried by said central flue and extending into said heatchamber to separate said iiues, a source of heat supply located beneathsaid tlues, and means controlled by the temperature of the water withinsaid chamber for regulating the passage of heat through said ilues,substantially as described.

10. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber extending on a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, of downwardly converging Walls forming a heatchamber beneath the same, a heat ue extending through said water chamberand connecting said heat chamber with the atmosphere, a second heat nuemounted within said `first-mentioned tlue and arranged centrallythereof, a

liange carried by said central flue and extending into said heat chamberto separate said fines, and means controlled by the temperature of thewater in said chamber for regulating the passage of heat through saidfines, substantially as described. y

11. In an incubator, the combination, with a casing containing an egchamber and having a Water chamber ex" tending on a plurality of thesides of said egg chamber, said water chamber having air passagestherethrough, of an outer casing surrounding said Water chamber andhaving air passages through the same out of alnement with the ailpassages through said Water chamber and having passages formed betweenthe same and said water chamber for connecting said air passages, andmeans for heat-l ing the water in said water chamber, substantially asdescribed.

12. In an incubator, the combination, with acasing containing an eggchamber and having a water chamber vsurrounding a plurality of the sidesof said egg chamber, said Water chamber having air passagestherethrough, of an outer casing nclosing the end Walls of said waterchamber and having air passages therethrough, said passages being out ofalinement with the air passages of said water

